(a) Field of the Invention
The present invention is principally directed to a ring assembly for use on a finger, such as for ornamental purposes. Also within the scope of the invention is the use of the invention with other articles of jewelry such as braclets, chokers, etc. This will be discussed in detail hereinafter.
More particularly, the present invention is directed to a ring assembly which is formed to permit easy placement and removal from a user's finger particularly where the user may have certain irregularities in the contouring of his finger which would normally create an uncomfortable condition for so doing.
An alternate embodiment contemplates articles which employ the inventive lock with or without additional structure defined in the preferred embodiment.
The ring assembly of the present invention has been formulated with a view toward permitting ease of placement and removal, especially, off of the finger of a user who may have abnormally enlarged knuckles or other portions of the finger, such as due to illness, i.e. arthritis. The irregularity in the contouring of the finger normally makes the placement and withdrawal of the ring from the finger a most unpleasant situation. Up until the present invention, the employment of various structures to a ring configuration enabling withdrawal and placement on the finger have been most complicated and certainly not lending themselves to use in ring assemblies where the ring is to have a pleasant appearance.
(b) Prior Art
While the use of hinged bands of different types have been known in the prior art, such as in U.S. Pat. No. 1,128,084 and 3,566,616, these particular configurations represent art which have band locking arrangements completely different from that of the present invention. In the use of a ring of the type to which the present invention is drawn, the importance associated with the locking arrangement, that is, the locking of an open end of the ring band whereby the actual use of a lock is not visible to the outside world, is something that has not been satisfactorily treated in the prior art, as for example, in the aforementioned references. In other words, while the concept of opening a ring to enable an individual with enlarged knuckles, caused by some condition, has been attended to in some fashion, nonetheless a locking configuration which is not visible and which aids in the over all appearance of the ring has not been contemplated at all in the prior art.
The band locking arrangements in the prior art are bulky, somewhat uncomfortable, and not within the contemplation of the present invention.